Caitlin Clark Scores 20 vs. Storm as WNBA Fans Lament Fever Dropping to 1-8 on Season | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

The Indiana Fever's tough start to the 2024 season continued in earnest on Thursday night.

The Seattle Storm (5-3) hammered the Fever, 103-88, despite 20 points and nine assists from rookie Caitlin Clark.

Indiana Fever @IndianaFever

Caitlin Clark with the catch-and-shoot triple 🏹 <a href="">

SportsCenter @SportsCenter

CAITLIN CLARK WITH THE DEEP THREE 🔥 <a href="">

It was a tough night for the WNBA's newest star, however, as she shot just 6-of-17 from the field and had seven turnovers.

She also had a notable near-scuffle with Victoria Vivians, showing some fire:

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

Caitlin Clark and Victoria Vivians exchanged words after CC hit a three 👀<br><br>Both were given technical fouls <a href="">

It's not as though the Fever provided Clark much help. Four of Seattle's five starters finished with at least 15 points, led by Jewell Loyd's 22, and Seattle as a team shot a sizzling 8-of-19 from beyond the arc.

Indiana is now just 1-8 on the season, and Clark's fans were fed up with her supporting cast—and her lack of a whistle compared to other notable players around the league—following the game:

tony @IceCreamTony

watching caitlin clark play on this trash team <a href="">

Russ 🏁 @TheyNotLikeRuss

I wanna watch Caitlin Clark but the Indiana Fever are a hard team to watch bro

TreesAndFlowersTeela @TeelaWild

I love Caitlin Clark but Indiana Fever basketball is a difficult watch at this point 😬

Bree Benedict @BreeBenedict01

At what point do you just cut half of this Fever team. Absolutely wasting the hype and buzz of Caitlin Clark on a team that just isn't at the level of a professional team.

jamie @JamieMonck

caitlin clark is quickly learning what i've been saying for years: indianapolis is hell.

Sgt. Fever's Lonely Hearts Club Band 🎡 @LetItBeCLE

Praying for Caitlin Clark's and Aliyah Boston's mental health because good God this team is ass outside of those two<br><br>Good game by Katie Lou Samuelson though

Scott Agness @ScottAgness

Christie Sides has seen enough and erupts on the official after the no-call as Caitlin Clark attacked the basket. <br><br>This has built up over time — and was needed, IMO. <a href="">

David Eickholt @DavidEickholt

The amount of contact that Caitlin Clark takes on every possession is unbelievable, especially for being a perimeter player. So many grabs, double-teams, pushbacks and hand-checks.

JT @josh_tynes

There is not another player in the W right now that plays against more uncalled contact than Caitlin Clark. <br><br>It almost seems they are hesitant to make calls in her favor with the worry of being biased… crazy<br><br>She's playing on All-Madden and everyone else is playing on Pro

Jordan stevenson @Jordanthegoat0

Can Caitlin Clark ever get a good whistle ? She be driving to the rim with all this contact on her and she never gets the foul call smh 🤦🏽‍♂️

The calls will eventually will come—Clark is only a rookie. You have to earn the respect that earns you a positive whistle.

The bigger question mark is about Indiana's coaching and roster construction. Some patience is required; you don't get the top overall pick in the WNBA draft and the chance to select a player like Clark by being a good team.

And Clark has been complicit in the team's struggles herself, turning the ball over 5.6 times per game while struggling to shoot as efficiently as she did at Iowa.

Again, there are growing pains for rookies in the WNBA, like any other sport. These are the best players in the world, and handing the reins to a rookie point guard comes with rough patches.

But it's fair to argue that the rest of the Fever aren't doing Clark many favors, either. It's been a brutal start to the 2024 season for Indiana.